Multiple color thread dyeing device



1963 c. c. LANGSTON 3,

MULTIPLE comm w n" :vmnsmc DEVICE Filed May a, 1961 m IHW Tm WP W 1 lrllmlnnflinnlmlmHIMn mmzamnumnuns a: uvnsmuwsgm slwmu CLAUDE C. LANGSTON ATTORNEY 3,098,373 MULTIPLE CGLGR AD DYEING DEVME Claude (J. Langston, 1701 W. Berry, Fort Worth, Tex. Filed May 8, 1961, Ser. No. 108,637 Claims. (Cl. 68-47) In a shoe repair shop handling a volume of ladies shoes in different colors, a time consuming operation is changing the thread on the sewing machine to match the color of the shoe being repaired. Just a few stitches of one color may be needed for one repair job, then a few stitches of another color for the next job. Even with a battery of spools mounted on the machine, changing the thread can take longer than the sewing.

This invention relates to a means of eliminating this costly operation and consists of a device whereby the thread from a single spool can be selectively dyed any of several colors as it is fed into the sewing machine; the change from one color to another being almost instantaneous.

There is on the market a marking tool consisting of a dye filled cartridge, used as a handle, with 2. depending ferrule ending in a saturated felt tip which feeds the rapidly drying dye onto the surface to be marked. An exemplary tool of this type is manufactured by Carters Ink Co. It is the intent of this invention to utilize this item in a new way to accomplish the selective dyeing of sewing thread by mounting a series of these markers in an apparatus whereby the thread is caused to travel in contact beneath the tip of any one marker selected at will and thus to pick up the desired color as it moves toward the sewing operation.

The means whereby this is accomplished are hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of one embodiment of the described invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the proprietary marking tool utilized in the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken on FIGURE 1 showing one dye marker in operation.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section showing two markers mounted in a different embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 5 is a detail from below of the protective cover used in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a detail from below of the protective cover used in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 7 is a cross section taken on FIGURE 1 showing the spool and the thread guide common to both embodiments.

FIGURE 8 is a cross section taken on FIGURE 4.

The device herein described and illustrated consists of a channel shaped chassis It) with its open side facing the operator and having upper flange l1 and lower flange 12.. This is mounted in a convenient manner to replace the standard thread rack on any sewing machine, not shown. An extension 13 of the web of the chassis it holds pegs 14 and 14a to receive spools 15 and 15a. The thread 16 which is to be dyed travels towards the left through guides 17 and from there is threaded into the sewing machine in the regular way. The upper flange 11 of the chassis It has disposed thereon a row of holes in which are aflixed uniform cylindrical barrels 18 of a diameter to receive the dye markers 19. These markers, obtained on the open market, consist of a cylindrical reservoir 20, a ferrule 21, and a dye impregnated felt tip 22. The top of the reservoir 20 is provided with a hexagonal flange 23 designed to make the marker stand (tip end up) on a table, or to prevent its rolling while lying on its side. This flange serves a useful purpose in the present invention as hereinafter described.

A spring clip 24 attached to the back of each barrel I8 3&98573 Patented July 23, 1963 extends upwards and is formed to include two notches 25 and 26 which can engage the flange 23 on the marker 19. A stop 27 is also included on the end of the clip 24 to prevent the marker 19 from being unintentionally removed from the barrel 18. The lower end of the barrel 18 is provided with a spring loaded hinged cover 23, shown in detail in FIGURE 5, which keeps the dye from evaporating from the tip of the marker when the latter is not in use. A felt pad 29 is fixed to the lower flange 12 of the chassis 10 directly under each marker 19.

To operate the thread dyeing device, the marker containing the desired color is depressed to where the flange 23 snaps into the notch 25 in the spring clip 24. This opens the hinged cover 28 which swings down allowing the tip 22 of the marker to bear against the felt pad 29. A notch 30 in the edge of the cover 28 guides the thread 16 between the felt tip 22 and the felt pad 29 so that it can pick up the dye as it moves along into the sewing machine. To change colors, the operator releases the catch 24 with his index finger and raises the marker 19 with his thumb and second finger to where it bears against stop 27 and is held in place by notch 26 in the clip 24. Thus changing colors on the thread becomes a convenient one handed operation. The operator can then depress any other marker into operating position, and after pulling enough thread through his sewing machine to eliminate the previous color, can proceed to sew with the new color.

An alternate type of cover 31 to prevent the dye marker from drying out consists of a flexible rubber nipple which fits over the lower end of barrel l8 and has in its depending constricted portion 32 a cross shaped incision 33 which is normally tightly closed, but which allows the tip of the dye marker to spread the end of the nipple and extend through same when it is depressed to bear against the felt pad 29. When the rubber nipple 31 is used instead of the hinged cover 28 it is necessary to provide intermediate thread guides 34 in lieu of the notch 30' in the cover 28.

There may be an occasional special color called for which is not available in the dye markers, so the spool rack 13 is provided with an extra peg 14a on which an extna spool 15a with thread of the required color can be placed, and the thread 16a runs directly into the sewing machine in place of the dyed thread 16. It is general practice to use a neutral colored thread in the bobbin of the sewing machine as it shows only on the under side of the material sewed and can be used with all the colors. Should it be desired, however, to use colored thread on both sides, the reel of the bobbin can be wound with thread pulled through the thread dyeing apparatus and colored in exactly the same way as described above.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary construction herein shown and described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A thread dyeing device comprising a chassis having a horizontal base and a parallel flange thereabove, at least two open end barrels in vertical side-by-side relation supported by said flange, cylindrical dye markers slidably received in said barrels, said dye markers having depending marker tips, a resilient pad supported by said chassis beneath each said marker tip, and means movably supporting a thread beneath said marker tips and above said pads.

2. A thread dyeing device comprising a cylindrical fountain type marker containing a coloring agent and having a dispensing tip on one end thereof, a cylindrical barrel surrounding said marker and open at each end, clip means engaging said marker in an extended and a retracted position relative .to said barrel, a spring loaded cover hinged to the end of said barrel from which the tip of said marker extends, support means attached to said barrel, a felt pad attached to said support means disposed to contact said tip of said marker in its extended position, and guides to lead a thread between said felt pad and the tip of said marker when the same are in contact with each other.

3. A thread dyeing device comprising a cylindrical fountain type marker containing a coloring agent and having a dispensing tip on one end thereof, a cylindrical barrel surrounding said marker and open at each end, clip means engaging said marker in an extended and a retracted position relative to said barrel, a flexible nipple containing a normally closed incision attached to the end of said barrel through which the top of said marker can be extended, support means attached to said barrel, a felt pad attached to said support means disposed to contact said tip of said marker in its extended position, and guides to lead a thread between said felt pad and the tip i of said marker when same are in contact with each other.

4. A thread dyeing device as described in claim 2 in which more than one such assemblies are combined in aligned series to be selectively engaged with a thread running parallel to said series.

5. A thread dyeing device as described in claim 3 in which more than one such assemblies are combined in a series to be selectively engaged with a thread running parallel to said series.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,820,583 Switzer Aug. 25, 1931 2,310,764 Denhof Feb. 9, 1943 2,712,297 McGrew July 5, 1955 2,811,732 Okamoto Nov. 5, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany, printed application 145138, June 14, 1956. 

1. A THREAD DYEING DEVICE COMPRISING A CHASSIS HAVING A HORIZONTAL BASE AND APARALLEL FLANGE THEREABOVE, AT LEAST TWO OPEN END BARRELS IN VERTICAL SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION SUPPORTED BY SAID FLANGE, CYLINDRICAL DYE MARKERS SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN SAID BARRELS, SAID DYE MARKERS HAVING DEPENDING MARKER TIPS, A RESILIENT PAD SUPPORTED BY SAID CHASSIS BENEATH EACH SAID MARKER TIP, AND MEANS MOVABLY SUPPORTING A THREAD BENEATH SAID MARKER TIPS AND ABOVE SAID PADS. 